Unpacked: My Best Packing Tips

My top 10 tips + what I packed in a carry-on for a 15 day trip

Dear Readers,

Today, I’m unpacking my best packing learnings so you don’t have to! I’ll also share a visual of what I packed and wore in a carry-on for a 15 day trip to Copenhagen and Norway last month so you can see it in practice.

And do settle in, or save and come back to it — this turned out to be quite a long one!

This post was inspired by a reader from the community who commented in last month’s High Five when I shared a photo recap of some memories from the trip - thank you for the idea Emily!

Travel is a huge part of my life and I’ve been fortunate to spend a fair amount of time traveling for both work and personal. And I feel like I’m finally at a place where I can pack with consistency and ease.

This wasn’t always the case though — in my 20s, I would have definitely been classified as an over-packer. I’d always buy new pieces to dress for my fantasy self, pack for every possible situation imaginable, and check a giant bag for a trip only to wear half of what I brought.

Who can relate?! Sure, some of us may naturally be very minimalistic and practical and can travel lightly but most of us here love clothes, love fun outfits, and want to feel our very best with plenty of options when we go on a trip!

Outside of a road trip or an extended weekend trip here and there, the longer trips are usually few and far between. So it makes sense if packing feels hard and overwhelming. We are putting ourselves in a new and unknown environment. There’s a lot of excitement built up around a trip and the desire to “look the part” can take over — we want to create beautiful memories but also visual memories (ie: photos) and feeling like we are wearing an interesting/cool/pretty outfit can be a big part of that.

Like most things though, repetition and practice helps build any muscle. You wouldn’t expect to breeze through a 10 day bootcamp if you haven’t worked out in six months!

It wasn’t until I went through a couple of more extreme situations where I was forced to frequently exercise my packing muscle that I figured out my packing flow + managed my own expectations:

• Situation #1: I spent a year where I was on a plane almost every week. I got on a plane every Monday morning to SF (where my work was) and flew back on Friday evenings to LA (where my husband and I had recently purchased a home). This was pre-pandemic so working from home was not common but I was committed to my job and my team so I signed myself up for the long distance commute. When I wasn’t doing that, I was traveling overseas to visit vendors and factories for work or going on personal trips. My suitcase was packed by the door for most of this year.

• Situation #2: My husband and I chose to spend a year and a half houseless when we left LA to find the next place we wanted to call home. We moved our boxes to my parents’ basement and use it as home base while traveling out of suitcases anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months at a time.

Both these situations quickly gave me a reality check. I experienced frustrating moments where my overpacking got the best of me and mentally (and physically) weighed me down and I realized I needed to figure out a way to pack that was practical and efficient but still helped me feel good and excited about the clothes I brought.

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So — here are my TOP 10 packing tips so you can save and refer back to if you are struggling to pack for an upcoming trip!

These tips are more for longer trips, or those that require traveling by plane, as I find there’s flexibility in how much you can bring when going on shorter trips or car trips.

Not in any particular order except the first one:

TIP #1 - DO NOT PACK FOR YOUR FANTASY SELF

You don’t want to buy a bunch of things that you only wear on your trip and never wear at home. You also don’t want to go on a trip and cosplay as someone else - you want to be on a vacation and feel like yourself!

What I found was that wearing clothes that were high quality, versatile, and provided endless options was SO much more satisfying to wear than when I used to pack a suitcase of trendy, one-hit wonders. Same can be said about my wardrobe evolution in general!

If you feel like you are always buying or packing for your fantasy self, check out my post about how to avoid shopping for a fantasy wardrobe.

When you live in jeans and a basic tee everyday but imagine yourself like this in St. Tropez (with the luggage cart of suitcases to show for it)

TIP #2 - If you plan to shop, bring a packable bag

Shopping on trips is always a must for me. I love visiting local shops and seeing how they curate. It’s a great source of inspiration and a very important part of my personal style — the joy of discovery (looking at pieces for what they are, without the influence of known brands, and being able to discern what you like) and being able to wear pieces that hold a memory from a trip. The packable bag doesn’t take up a lot of space and you can use it to bring back items. Checking a bag on your way home always feels less risky!

This also comes in handy if you are traveling with friends or family - kind of like the sisterhood of the traveling bag - usually someone always overshops and will be grateful to borrow it! (✋)

My packable bags of choice: Longchamp travel tote (folds up easily and doubles as a chic weekender if you do a trip within a trip!) or some sort of packable nylon duffel (not cute but does the trick!)

TIP #3 - Pro tip for shopping during your travels

If the store has an online presence, they may ship items directly to your home for you. It’s worth asking to save you the space and annoyance of carrying around purchases if you don’t plan to wear it on your trip.

• In Copenhagen, I got a coat and loafers shipped directly to my home so I didn’t have to carry them through the Norway portion of the trip. The brands usually charge $25-$50 online for overseas shipping but in-store, they shipped for free! You also get the advantage of any currency conversions of purchasing in-country and VAT savings, depending on the store/tax-free service.

TIP #4 - Don’t forget to pack for the “in-between” moments

These are the mini moments when you aren’t ready to get fully dressed

• ie: getting breakfast in your hotel, the in-between when you are hanging out with friends after a day of exploring but before getting ready for dinner, checking out the cute coffee shop around the corner before you get dressed for the day

• You don’t want to potentially stain or stretch out the clothes you planned to wear for the rest of the day, or want to be wearing the clothes you have been wearing (and sweating) in all day, so it’s helpful to bring a couple outfits for these moments.

• My favorites are pieces like: a soft elastic pant, a boxer short, an extra tee or tank, a light cardigan that doubles as a top. Pieces that you still feel good in, don’t take up a lot of space, and are comfortable but more chic than a pajama shirt and leggings. You can also wear them for outings but you’ll be happy you brought them if just wearing for these in-between moments too!

TIP #5 - Always pack a swimsuit

This is a bit of an odd one but trust me on this! You never know what adventures you may come across that require a swimsuit. And you don’t want to be on a trip in December and have to try and find one to purchase. Worst case, if you don’t need it, it takes up the tiniest bit of space.

TIP #6 - Figure out the puzzle pieces of your travel capsule

What I found really helped with my packing was taking a small assortment from my wardrobe (mini capsule) that I could wear in a lot of different ways:

• This helped me get more out of a limited amount of pieces, saving me space

• Allowed me to bring additional pieces that were outliers like a fancy dress or an extra pair of shoes and not feel annoyed if I didn’t get to wear them

• Rotate in/out more of my wardrobe. For example, if I was wearing a certain set of clothes in my everyday life, I would pack a different set of clothes for my trip. Not fantasy self clothes, but just pieces that I didn’t get to wear a lot. This really helped me rediscover pieces and breathe new life into things I may have forgotten about or wasn’t wearing.

I tend to mainly pack separates as I find them the most versatile and a lot of my travel uniforms and outfit formulas come out of these. I stick to a small color story that can work together and focus more on textures and shapes to create interest. Then layer on small hits of color to create variation. You don’t need a bunch of color or pattern to create an interesting story — a pop of a red sweater against a neutral outfit will create the same impact! I like to use hats, shoes, and jewelry to do this as they don’t take up a lot of space and can still express a POV.

I also like to have a “failsafe” dress - a problem solver should the occasion arise where I need to be more dressed up. One that you feel good in that can be leveled up with great accessories or some makeup. Having this type of dress really helped me avoid the panic of feeling like I needed to buy a dress for every trip or occasion.

My failsafes for the past few years: A soft jersey knit dress from Dissh that packs well - I love that you can literally pull it out of the suitcase and wear it (here) + an old Apiece Apart dress. It has a unique shape and texture and I always feel good in it. Both are ones I wear on trips but can also wear to a wedding, night out, or work event. (sold out but a size Large here)

Need helping packing or putting together a vacation capsule? Book a 1 hour styling session and let me piece the puzzle together for you!

TIP #7 - Start prepping early

This is for you if you always wait until the last minute, run out of time, and get so overwhelmed that you decide to just bring everything “just in case” only to overpack and wear 30% of what you brought.

• When I was trying to get better at overpacking, I used to just lay out my suitcase a few weeks in advance and start to add things as I thought of outfit ideas. It helped to visually see it all in one place and edit and tweak as the weeks went on so I could pack without feeling overwhelmed. What could I wear in multiple ways? What was I probably only going to wear once and was taking up WAY too much room? What gaps did I actually need to shop for that made sense for my everyday wardrobe too? By the time I actually had to pack, I had made it back to reality!

• You can also use a wardrobe app like Indyx or Whering or just use your iphone notes to organize yourself

  

  an easy way to prep - create a packing list in Iphone Notes - I usually just list out what I want to wear but you can also add outfit photos or images of pieces to visually see everything

TIP #8 - Get organized and efficient

• Have a list on your phone of essentials that you can quickly pull up pre-trip so you don’t have to remember it every time you pack (converters, passports, medications, TSA # etc)

• Toiletries - I used to get mini travel sets of my favorite skincare products but I found it was wasteful and annoying to frequently repurchase. I have been using Cadence for the last couple of years and find it to be a very durable and space-saving way to carry my skincare.

  

  Link to the set I have - this usually lasts about 10 days for most products so if I have a longer trip, I’ll bring extra but they also sell larger capsules.

• Flat or Roll method - I know some are dedicated to one camp vs the other but I find it depends on the type of clothing you have. For example, trousers and dresses are better laid flat. Tees and leggings and lighter weight pieces take up less space rolled. Just try a few different ways — it’s like Tetris!

• Packing cubes - I find these helpful:

  • to get extra tees and light layers into the suitcase

  • If you are packing for different environments/settings (ie: your formal wear in one cube, your hiking clothes in another)

  • or climate (ie: for my recent trip, I packed all my Norway pieces in a cube as I wasn’t going to need them in Copenhagen like thick socks, sports bras, heat tech etc)

  • If you are packing for a family - you can put all the kids clothes in one cube, yours in another, your partners in another

• If you are looking to bring multiple purses, see if you can bring one bag and use your cosmetic or smaller bags as clutches. It’s an easy 2-for-1!

I like using my Merit makeup bag as an evening clutch when I travel. It’s a great shape and color that comes in so handy! (gifted with your first purchase). I also use a Ceremonia toiletry bag as a purse organizer and clutch. I love the size, upcycled easy care material, and pop of color.

TIP #9 - Always give yourself the goal to fit everything into a carry-on

Trust me when I say from experience — you don’t want to be on your 5th flight of stairs lugging your XL suitcase or trying to catch your third train/plane/automobile of the day scrambling with your giant bag. I’ve been there -you’ll regret it. The only times I will consider bringing a large bag, or multiple suitcases:

• A trip that’s longer than ~2-3 weeks and I need to pack for multiple levels of formality, events, or extreme climates

• A trip where I plan to only stay in one place the entire time, meaning I only have to move my suitcase to/from the airport and in/out of where I’m staying

If you are struggling to make it all fit, take into consideration what you can wash should you need to, or want to. Whether it’s a washer at your airbnb, paying for laundry at your hotel, or washing lightweight pieces in your hotel room. Being able to get a wash in on a longer trip really helps save space from bringing extras or duplicates!

TIP # 10 - Travel Day hacks

• Plan to wear the same thing for your departure and arrival travel days, and plan to wear your heaviest/bulkiest items. Your travel day is most likely going to be spent at the airport and on a plane so you don’t necessarily have to factor in climate and will likely be in A/C for most of it. You can obviously swap out a tee or a layer, but in general, I find it helps not having to plan a second travel outfit.

  

  My travel outfit for this trip - I used the sweater to wear around my shoulders at the airport and wore for the cold plane. It’s lightweight enough that I can also just throw it in my travel bag without causing it to be heavy.

  

  Other variations of travel day looks I wore this year for trips. General formula is the same - a comfy pant (linen for a warmer weather casual trip, stirrup leggings for a longer plane ride, silk pants for a city trip which would I’d also do for a work trip) + basic tee or tank + outer layer + sweater optional for texture/warmth/save space

• Take advantage of airlines’ leniencies on “personal bags” - Apologies in advance if this is a pet peeve of yours! I always travel with a larger bag and place my purse within it so I have extra room to carry additional things that don’t fit in my suitcase.

  

  As you can see, my personal bag is quite large! I usually throw a sweater or jacket in if I don’t want to wear it on-the-go. Having one that isn’t structured allows you to collapse (or squish) it under the seat or in an overhead with ease.

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If you made it this far — Let’s get into what I packed and wore for 15 days in Copenhagen and Norway in a carry-on!

All in all, I packed:

• 19 pieces of clothing, including 4 pieces I wore on the plane

• 3 pairs of shoes (2 sandals + 1 sneaker)

• 2 bags + my personal carry-on tote

• 1 swimsuit + 2 accessories

• Toiletries, undergarments, book, laptop, flat iron and curling iron (a non-negotiable with my hair!)

• Outfit possibilities = 44 (!)

**No new items were purchased for this trip

COPENHAGEN

Duration: 5 days + 1 travel day

Weather: mid-high 70s during the day, 60s-low 70s at night; sunny/cloudy

Formality: Casual but polished

Activities: Walking/Exploring, Museums, Drinks & Dinners, boat rides

Locations: 1 night at hotel, rest of the nights in the same airbnb with a washer

The city has a minimal chic vibe which made packing feel easier. We also had low-key days planned so I didn’t worry about bringing anything novel outside of my Tibi trousers, which felt like they could carry a basic top and still feel special. My suede bag doubled as a clutch + held my personal items while traveling (converter, charger, passport etc). If I was just visiting Copenhagen, I would have probably packed a couple statement pieces and a kitten heel. Links to items I wore, or similar items if the pieces are old or sold out: Old Zara trench (similar here, here, here) | Quince Cashmere Sweater | Re/Done White Tee | Target and Re/Done Rib Tank | Old COS Pleated Trouser (similar) | Pistola Jeans | Tibi Trouser | Gap Boxer Short | A. Emery Leather Sandals (similar) | Havaiana Flip Flop | Nike Sneakers | Vintage Belt (similar) | Parker Thatch Bag

How it came to life -

Neutral separates, using accessories to switch up the look to dress up or dress down

I never felt bored with these pieces during my trip! My separates all worked together to create new combinations and I used texture and color to create some interest (suede, leather, cashmere, red, tan).

These aren’t looks I wore but I wanted to show you all the other options I could have styled using just these pieces should I have needed to go extra days:

The only thing missing would have been if I had an unexpected plan to go to a fine dining restaurant or something, but that’s where shopping comes in! If I was on a city-only trip, I would have brought my failsafe black dress.

NORWAY

Duration: 10 days + 1 travel day

Weather: 50s during the day, 40s at night; windy, rainy

Formality: Very casual/Outdoorsy

Activities: Driving, ferry rides, hiking, excursions, walking/exploring, saunas, dinners

Locations: road trip from the South to the North and staying in 4 different towns; a mix of hotels and airbnbs; we had a washer about halfway through our trip and also washed our quicker dry leggings and layers by hand

Items specifically brought for Norway. I brought a couple extra warmer layers so I could share with my sister. My mom brought me my hiking shoes so they weren’t in my suitcase. The Uniqlo bag goes with me on almost all trips - someone is always guaranteed to use it! I brought a bandana instead of a hat as it was supposed to be really windy. Links to items I wore, or similar if the pieces are old or not carried anymore: Free People Puffer (I love the shape and it’s packable - I own in two colors.) | Old PE Nation Windbreaker (similar) | Uniqlo Heat Tech | Skims LS Tee | Abercrombie Mens Sweatshirt | Old cardigan - unsure of brand (similar) | Old COS swimsuit (similar) | Old Everlane bandana (similar) | Uniqlo Crossbody

For outdoorsy trips, this is how I always think about my outfits as I tend to only wear Black/White/Grey for activewear. It’s a part of my style where I don’t care to have the most trendy or fun pieces and I treat it as a uniform. It just makes my life easier!

A base of neutral tops and leggings that you can wear every day and then different outerwear to mix-n-match or layer together for different outfit combos.

How it came to life -

What I wore - pretty repetitive, but again, this part of the trip was all about staying comfy and practical! The main thing I had to dress for each day was the chaotic weather and activity (ie: kayaking on a fjord in the rain), which is where all the layers became super helpful.

My socks added some pattern and were a souvenir picked up from the trip (out of necessity!) + flip flops and boxer shorts came in handy for our drives and in-between moments and sauna visits. I find my upper body gets much colder than my lower body!

Other options I could have worn if the weather was warmer (it was not!) or if I wanted to elevate my look (which I didn’t!) -

The bandana would have been a great outfit addition but it just didn’t feel practical with all the rain we got!

Lastly, a couple extra tips for your trip!

1. I like to save all the shops/restaurants/bars/activities I am interested in on a google map before my trip. This allows me to do a bit of research in advance but leave my days open to go with the flow. Once I’m there, I can pull up my saved map and see what’s saved around me!

   

2. I use the Shazam app to find and save playlists from my trips. I would find myself loving a playlist, or having a song come on that perfectly matched the moment I was experiencing, so it became a fun way to create a memory of the places visited.

   

   Once you save on Shazam, open up on Spotify and create your city playlist. I like to do this during downtime, at the airport, or on the plane so I don’t forget about which songs I saved!

I hope you liked this packing edition — Let me know in the comments!

And remember - don’t overthink it! You overpacked? It will help you the next time you pack. Didn’t bring enough or the right pieces? It’s ok! You can always buy it if it’s really needed while you are on your trip.

What are some of your favorite packing tips or hacks you want to share with us?!

See you next Sunday and thank you all for being here, whether it’s your first time or tenth time!

xx

Angie